2020 High School Graduation Schedule

NCSS Announces 2020 High School Graduation Schedule
Posted on 12/11/2019
GraduationNewton County School System has finalized plans for the Class of 2020’s high school commencement services. Eastside High School students will graduate on Friday, May 22 at 7:00 p.m. at Springfield Baptist Church in Conyers, Georgia. Approximately 300 students are expected to march in the special ceremony. Due to the increased number of seniors this year, Newton High School will hold its graduation service at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia, Georgia as over 600 students are expected to graduate in May. Later that afternoon, the school system will host Alcovy High School’s graduation ceremony at 3:00 p.m. at Springfield Baptist Church. Over 420 seniors are expected to walk across the stage.

“We had to make alternate arrangements for Newton High School this year as the Springfield Baptist Church just isn’t large enough to accommodate the school’s graduates and their guests,” said Samantha Fuhrey, superintendent of Newton County Schools. “In years past, Newton families have not received as many graduation tickets to attend the ceremony as their counterparts at Alcovy and Eastside and this year there are even more graduates—more than 600 students are expected to participate in the ceremony this year. Utilizing New Birth Baptist Church, which has a seating capacity of 6,000 compared to 3,000 at Springfield Baptist Church, allows for a more equitable distribution of family tickets across the three high schools.”

“Our operations division has looked into other venues available to accommodate graduations, including Georgia International Convention Center, Infinite Energy Arena, and UGS-Stegeman Coliseum, but those venues were both cost-prohibitive and also unavailable on the dates needed,” Fuhrey explained. “Many residents also ask about conducting graduation ceremonies at Sharp Stadium, but it too is cost prohibitive. By the time we rent the stage, sound equipment, and chairs for graduates, and pay for setup and security, you’re looking at well over $30,000. We held graduation at Sharp in 2012 and had several elderly guests suffer heat-related illness during the ceremonies so there’s also that to contend with. And of course, if it rains, there would be no alternate location available to accommodate all of the graduates and guests. As a result, we feel this is the best option. Perhaps one day in the future, there will be a venue in Newton County that can accommodate our graduations.”

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